Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is Saving My Life
This is my journey through chronic illness, pain, grief, and depression. And I have resources!
This is a long story that I haven’t yet told. I hesitate because I haven’t had it very easy over the past couple of years, and although it’s not pretty, I don’t like to write about my problems unless I have found a bright side. So now, I’m ready to talk because I have finally found a breakthrough that has helped my physical and mental health.
When I had my first liposuction surgery over a year and a half ago, I decided to spend some extra money on a couple of sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I was in California for my surgery, and there were commercial hyperbaric chambers in the area. I did only two treatments because they were expensive. But after those two treatments, my extensive bruising had almost disappeared, and my pain was so much better. It was close to miraculous.
Fast forward to this past year post-surgery. I’ve been physically debilitated from a series of physical traumas, including recovering from my liposuction surgeries, a major car accident, and a knee replacement surgery. Along with that, I had three emergency room visits (two for medication toxicity and one for TGA) and at least three urgent care visits (corneal abrasions and facial trauma, including eight stitches from being pulled over by my dog).
That was just my physical trauma. I had a lot of emotional trauma, too. In fact, it’s been a few years of emotional and mental heartbreak.
When COVID came, it was not kind to me and my husband. As nurses who work in a hospital, we witnessed too many people die from the disease and the devastation of their families. My husband’s mom died during COVID-19, and we couldn’t visit her in person because of the isolation restrictions (she didn’t have COVID, but at the time, everything was locked down). Then, my mother died suddenly in January 2022. My husband’s dad died last year, and his well-loved aunt just a couple of months ago. We’ve also had a run of dying pets, either killed, sick, or other. That dog who pulled me over? She’s not with us anymore, either.
It has been one hell of a time the past couple of years, especially last year.
With all of this, I’ve struggled to maintain normalcy. I was doing better with pain and mobility after my lipo surgeries. I could walk about a half-mile but would need to follow it up with a long nap. After suffering a TBI from my car accident last July, doing everyday things like housework, cooking dinner, and running errands took too much of my energy. My social life tanked; I didn’t have the stamina to maintain friendships. I admit I became very depressed.
After my knee surgery, I worked hard trying to build up my energy through physical therapy and gentle exercise, but I’d hit a wall. I couldn’t tolerate any progressive increase in activity. By January of this year, my physical therapist released me. She told me I’d plateaued and she couldn’t do any more for me.
And then, the worst thing happened: my leg edema returned.
I know stress can bring back lipedema, and I was heartbroken with the possibility that my lipedema was coming back only one year after my liposuction surgeries.
Since learning I had lipedema, I’ve tried every modality possible. Some work better for me than others. My pneumatic compression pump is my favorite, and I love my vibration plate. Swimming and walking are my exercise choices. But none of these helped with the complexity of my lipedema, my post-knee surgery recovery, my TBI, and my fatigue, depression, and decompensation from the physical and psychological stress of the past two years.
Then I realized I hadn’t tried everything…
Enter Dr. Sue Wendling.
Being Introduced to Home HBOT
Dr. Wendling is a retired dentist who has been on her own healing journey and found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has had considerable results in helping with many different issues. She became educated and certified and started a business called Hyperbaric Northwest, providing home hyperbaric oxygen chamber rentals. She and I have talked extensively about the benefits of home HBOT; research has shown that a pressurized, oxygen-rich environment can reduce symptoms and speed healing. Using HBOT regularly for as short as a month could improve my chronic pain, inflammation, fatigue, and depression and help with overall general wellness. And I was desperate to try anything to break through this wall.
At the beginning of March, we hauled the chamber to my house; she set it up for me and instructed me on how to use it. She recommended I start using it twice a day, for up to an hour at a time. I could then taper down to daily and then at least 3-5 times per week.
The cool part was that I could bring in my phone, computer, headphones, or whatever I wanted because, unlike the commercial chambers, they are not pressurized with 100% oxygen (which is flammable), so electronics are okay. Thank goodness! I always have to be doing something with my hands and brain.
My First Dive
My first “dive” using HBOT was for about an hour the next morning. When I was done, I had so much energy! Afterward, I cleaned the house, went grocery shopping, and cooked batches of food. I couldn’t believe it! I called Sue and let her know what was happening. She said that happened sometimes and was happy for me. I did the dives as recommended. My mind cleared. My knee started feeling better, and I started walking more, increasing to three miles per day. And I started working my regular job again.
I was scared to return to work. I didn’t think my body would be able to handle the mental stress of being “on” all day, much less the physical stress. After one shift, I felt fine—more than fine. I didn’t go home and crash. Instead, I went home and did what people usually do after work. I felt like a normal person.
I’d scheduled an appointment with my lymphatic specialist for the increasing edema, but by the time I’d gotten in to see her, she had measured and assessed me. She did see some swelling in my ankles, which has always been there. But, in her words, “You’re not as bad as you think you are, Michelle.” And she was right. I felt better. She suggested I follow up once a month with her for three months, but she didn’t feel I needed to start over with decongestive therapy again.
As of today, I feel good. I still have a way to go, but I don’t take long naps in the middle of the day as I did before. I am not exhausted all the time. My knee pain has improved. I walk my three miles 3-5 times a week. My depression has lifted, although it has not completely cleared up. I feel like I can call friends and chat on the phone now. I don’t feel grief-stricken every moment of every day.
I feel hope for the first time since my two years of darkness.
Considering I haven’t done anything different except HBOT and given time to heal, I believe my improvements are directly related to this therapy.
I’m sure everyone has different experiences with HBOT. This is my experience, and I have to share it because it has been life-changing for me.
Resources!
Research articles
There are several PubMed articles related to HBOT. Here are a few that directly relate to what I’ve experienced first-hand with my body:
Revisiting the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in knee injuries: Potential benefits and mechanisms
And, of course, if you are interested in looking into an HBOT chamber rental, here is Dr. Sue’s website:
And her Facebook page:
Dr. Wendling is located in the Pacific Northwest and delivers her chambers to Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Northern California.
If you live outside the PNW, Sue’s mentor, Ryan Brinkerhoff, has a company that ships chambers throughout the U.S. Here is his website:
Here is a little extra for you: a YouTube about HBOT and POTS:
I hope you can take something positive away from this story. If you have a story or have questions, I’d love to hear from you!
Take Care,
Michelle